


What NORAD Does On Christmas Eve

by Jantique



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-19
Updated: 2011-12-19
Packaged: 2017-10-27 13:37:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/296418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jantique/pseuds/Jantique
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What NORAD does on Christmas Eve. And, of course, Jack gets involved. Will Daniel? Nice, not naughty!</p>
            </blockquote>





	What NORAD Does On Christmas Eve

_Takes place December 24, 2004_

 

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the Base, all the creatures were stirring, to get OUT of the place as soon as they possibly could--women to parties or families; the unmarried men to perfume and jewelry counters, in the sincere but misguided belief they could actually find Christmas presents NOW for their soon-to-be-formerly Significant Others. The married men, secure in the knowledge that their wives had picked out something for themselves that they really wanted, stopped off for a quick glass of alcoholic Cheer before going home to find out how much they had spent.

Jack O'Neill stopped by Daniel's office. "Daniel? Ya busy?"

Without looking from his computer and notepad, Daniel said, "Jack, if it's important, tell me now. If not, I have work to do."

Jack sighed. "Yo--Earth to Daniel Jackson. It's CHRISTMAS EVE. It's 1700 hours. You have official permission from your C. O. to knock off work now."

The fact that Daniel knew _perfectly well_ what 1700 hours was, was evidenced by his automatic translation of "Five o'clock, Jack. And we're not due at Sam's party until seven--that's 1900 to you." Overheated rooms, small talk, the exchange of recycled unwanted presents from last year--he was looking forward to it. NOT.

Jack rubbed his nose. Thought. Whatthehell. "Um, I'm not going to make it to the party. The reason is Classified--like what here isn't--but...."

At this, Daniel did look up. "Jack? You're not going on any more secret missions, are you?" _Without telling me?!_ Thoughts of Jack stealing Tollan technology and joining Harry Maybourne's merry men--and worst of all, lying to his team, to HIM--filled his mind.

"Wha--NO! Of course not--I mean, well yes, but this is a _good_ secret mission." In all his quasi-military experience, Daniel had never heard of any such animal. Jack fidgeted a little more and asked hopefully, "You want to come with me? I'm pretty sure I can sneak you onto the plane."

Daniel would lay down his life for Jack, but he wasn't about to say 'yes' without getting more details. "What plane going where, Jack? Want to give me a little mission briefing here?"

Jack closed the office door and leaned against it for a moment, frowning. Not that he didn't completely trust Daniel, he did. He just suffered a few minor pangs when he divulged Top Secret information to someone who wasn't Authorized, even when he thought that it was necessary. But he didn't let them stop him. Necessity prevailed.

"Look, Daniel, you know that NORAD tracks Santa Claus every year, right? And 2004 is their 50th anniversary of doing it."

Daniel grimaced. "Yeah, Walter was showing me earlier. It's at [www.noradsanta.org](http://www.noradsanta.org/). My tax dollars at work. Nice picture of the entrance to the Mountain, though."

"Hey, it's NORAD's mission to--"

" 'Deter, Detect, Defend.' I know. We live in their basement, remember? But _SANTA CLAUS_?"

"Hey." Jack ticked off items on fingers. "1. You don't know it's Santa. It could be evil aliens. Or, hell, evil Earth guys. Gotta make sure. 2. We have a lot of air traffic Christmas Eve. We have to make sure they get there in one piece. 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer' isn't supposed to happen halfway between Minneapolis and Cleveland. 3. It's for his own benefit. We--well, most countries--send up fighter planes as an escort."

Dr. Jackson listened to this recitation open-mouthed, disbelieving. He'd been captured by aliens--those EVIL aliens--and was being brainwashed, right? That had to be it. Or maybe JACK had been brainwashed. The only possible explanation.

Gently he inquired, "Jack, are you OUT OF YOUR MIND?!"

Jack was offended but, it being Christmas Eve, was trying for patience. After all, he needed to be "Nice". "Daniel, you've been to other worlds. Met aliens. Married one. Died several times. Ascended. All that." He waved his hand in a circular spiral, indicating "upwards". "Are you seriously telling me that after all _that_ , you can't believe in Santa Claus? Who, for my money, probably is an alien, but he's lived here so long, he ought be a naturalized Earth citizen by now, anyway."

It was a minute or two before Daniel could speak. "You. Met. Santa. He's an ... alien."

"No-no-no. I never _met_ him. That's just my guess. But--Danny, listen--" his face broke into a wide grin "--I get to be in the Sleigh Escort this year. We fly alongside, like I told you. You wanna come with?"

Mind you, Daniel still didn't Believe. Uh-uh, nope, no way. But he was a scientist. You had to test a theory to disprove it, right? Besides, he could think of worse ways to spend ways to spend a clear, winter night than flying with Jack. And who could resist that little-boy grin? Not he.

"Okay, Flyboy, you're on. Fly me to the moon."

Jack shook his head. "Nah, way sub-orbital. Okay, c'mon. We gotta suit up and lift by 2100, which means we have just enough time for dinner at O'Malley's first." He swung open the door and strode out.

Daniel followed, shaking his head. His mind was racing. He'd seen and done stranger things, sure, but Santa?! He really needed to come up with a few quick rationalizations for certain things he'd done this year--but Santa wasn't going to ask; they wouldn't chit-chat; he'd be in a plane. Just a fly-by. Still, Santa _knew_ , right? That could be trouble. Hmm ... what kind of speed did Santa get? How did all the presents fit in? And the aerodynamics of the whole thing....

"Hey. Jack, wait up! He hurried down the corridor. "Listen, the reindeer, they must be aliens; that's how they can fly, right?"

Jack just smiled indulgently and held the elevator door. "Going up, Danny?"

Daniel smiled back. "Oh, yeah, I'm going, youbetcha." He suddenly stopped, then raced down the hall, throwing "Be right back!" over his shoulder.

Jack held the door, muttering the "Nice-not-naughty" mantra under his breath. A few minutes later, Daniel was back, holding up his prize, several bells attached to a green velvet ribbon.

"Jingle bells?"

"For the plane!" Daniel grinned brightly, and Jack did, too. You gotta love this holiday!

"Well, come then! If we can't leave milk and cookies, we'll make sure Santa hears our jingle bells!"

Which was exactly what they did.

~end~

 

**Author's Note:**

> The website is real. You can watch Your Tax Dollars at Work as NORAD tracks Santa around the globe!


End file.
